I'm from Minnesota. Needless to say, we have no contenders at this time.

Wisconsin has Ryan and Walker represented in this rogue's gallery, but I wonder if Ron Johnson might give it a go, too. He might actually be a better candidate than either of the two more prominent Wisconsinites.

If we had picked as the GOP presidential nominee in 2012 the Republican who had done the most to lead the party and the country in the last four years, Paul Ryan would have been on top of the ticket, not its Veep nominee.

I'm inclined to support him for 2016, but I frankly want to see him continue to lead, from the House Budget Committee chair and otherwise, during the next two years.

Can we stop picking candidates who, at any given time, might have been okay four years ago?

What we need is a Rand Paul, Gary Johnson or one of the others of libertarian persuasion, who can return the Republican Party to the social middle and the economic right, particularly to federalism (states' rights).

Paul Ryan, Michele Bachmann and the other social fascists should be happy to just fade away.

Much depends on what kind of shape the country is in then. If we have not yet entered bankruptcy or hyperinflation, Ryan and Jindal would be good prospects. Rubio is OK but looks too young and doesn't have much to offer like Ryan does.

Hillary will be as old as McCain was and Biden will be dead, most likely. The Democrats have no bench but they have done enough damage to last half a century.

Martinez was my District Attorney ans now governor. I really like her but not sure she's ready for the leap. I have a very good feeling about Ayotte. Add in Haley and it would be interesting to see one of them go up against Slow Joe of Sleepy.

Christie would be the most fun. Ryan would be the most substantive. Rubio would be, I think, the likeliest actually to win.

Martinez and Haley are too green at this point to make serious Presidential candidates (yeah, I would have said the same of Obama in 2008, so what do I know?). Either of them would make a good VP nominee. Jindal might possibly be the smartest of the field, but that exorcism business isn't something that can easily be walked back. Walker would be terrific, frankly. I doubt it will happen, but it would be nice if it did.

In my own experience of arguing with Leftists and watching others argue with Leftists (I don't mean "liberals" or "Democrats"; I mean Leftists), there are certain norms of civility that are observed ... unless the rightward person is female or nonwhite or Hispanic or gay or (worse yet) more than one of the above.

People, it gets nasty, very nasty, very quickly, if you are a female/nonwhite/Hispanic/gay conservative. You're just not allowed to be that. White males (the closer to the grave the better) are grudgingly allowed to be conservatives, because they don't really know any better. Everyone else ought to be on the Left, and if you are not, you're definitionally scum.

I believe Michelle Malkin has an email archive that will supply the general flavor, but honestly you can get it from every story of every political campaign by anyone who didn't vote as [insert group here] are obviously supposed to.

Everybody who has gotten this far through these vilifying times deserves a salute, I wish every one of them well.

I am proud of every Tea Party person and Libertarian and Republican person, win or lose, who has withstood the demagoguery and false accusations of the Leftist Corporate Media.

I wanna spend this cozy night, Thanksgiving Eve! dreaming of the best possible outcome starting Now.

I dream President Obama realizes what a sweet deal the Ryan/Romney budget plans would be to his Legacy, and invites them to come on in and, Reid instructed to follow in the interest of Bipartisanship, pass their game-changing, historic BUDGET!!! leavened with a tax on the very very highest 1%, just for show -- the first budget in three years!!! officially done, saving entitlements into the future, etcetera. what a Hero he would be.

I dream Obama invites Dick Cheney and his daughters to lead up a Review of gays in the military, and what Contracts are needed? Brilliant! Let it be all their fault, and all his glory. And ask their advice on Gay Marriage. Bipartisan nation-healing and discussion and leadership, initiated by the man pre-maturely awarded the Nobel, but might yet deserve.

I dream Bill and Hillary Clinton invite Sarah Palin etc to a C-span symposium on abortion and the law, airing the hard real truths, and arrive at some wiser understanding as a nation.

I'm going on too long . . . but quick quick

I dream America insists that no Tribe or Sect has a right to murder others because of a difference of belief. I dream America insists on non-violence between peoples. Free Speech. No violence.

[It is sad that because we are dealing with are barbaric forces, willing to destroy giant ancient Buddhist statues, and slit any of our throats. So we must be willing to be violent to stop such morbid violence.]

Given the economic and social horrors right up ahead and given that the Republican Party will not offer a genuine unapologetic conservative alternative to the liberal induced catastrophe, the Republican Party will go the way of the Whigs, possibly as early as 2014. But by 2016 there will definitely be a true conservative party to which traditional (which is to say deeply bigoted and retrograde Americans in Althousespeak) can turn. Still, it's kind of cute to see the Republicans behaving as if what Titanic? what Iceberg? who's going down?

I wonder if Nate Silver will still be doing political poll analysis in 2016 or if he will have gone on to other, perhaps more lucrative activities? In any case, the President mentioned him in a little joke today a the traditional Thanksgiving turkey pardon. He is such a kidder, that President of ours. We're lucky to have him around until the next troupe of players comes onstage in 2016.

Could Perry rehabilitate his image after his run in the primaries this year? I don't think so.

Santorum -- I realize that the Republicans have a tendency to nominate the candidate who came in second during the previous primary season, but I wouldn't bet a wooden nickel on Santorum winning the 2016 nomination.

On the basis of her convention speech, Martinez seems to have more charisma than most of the guys on the list. Can she compete in the Money Primary?

I'm with Jimbino; social middle, economic conservatism is the key. The notion that doubling down on social conservatism is a winning strategy is beyond absurd, which is why most of those candidates are losers out-of-the-gate.

Jeb Bush is probably the most qualified candidate except most Americans aren't going to be eager for yet another Bush.

Jeb Bush is the most accomplished of this group. He was a very good governor. His older, less qualified brother has ruined his chances. Walker in a few years might also have a very good record on the fiscal issues that will count in 2016. An accomplished governor is the GOP's best bet. Mitch Daniels and Jeb Bush were the best GOP governors of the past 25 years. Maybe Walker can get there in 4 years.

Christie is dead for now. Rank and file republicans understand why he had to grovel to Obama, especially since Obama has ignored red state disasters for political calculations, but he didn't have to blow him.

- Fall in love with scientists.- Kiss the journalists, esp. at NYT.- Accept interests of women and min es. Think of them as YOUR EQUALS.- Focus on innovation, set goals, measure the progress. - AVOID BAD GOP MEN WHO ARE LIKE DINOSAURS - like Santorum, Newt, Ron Paul, etc. When they speak, do the CROSS on your chest to avoid evil spirits.

McDonnell is there, and ought to be. I assume shiloh is down on him because he absolutely hates it when Republican governors show up their Democrat predecessors.

I sort of wish the federal government had a COO to go with the front man CEO (president). I see him as being stronger in the doing, not as much in the showy parts. But I'm ready to be persuaded otherwise.

BTW, they couldn't have picked a less flattering picture of Ayotte, could they?

No Palin endorsed Sarah Steelman, I believe a business woman with Cerner Corp, against Atkin in the primary, a three way primary.

McCaskill and the DNC spent more than a million dollars to insure an Atkin win. That's who the Dems determined to be the weakest opponent. Truth is Adkins would have won had he not shot his mouth off, "legitimate rape"? Missourians hate Claire, but WTF!

This exercise is fun, but pointless. Not pointless for the candidates. Four years is barely enough time to organize to run a presidential election. Pointless for us, who are not running. At least we should wait until the mid-terms to see what the battle ground is going to look like.

But those who say the Republicans can't win whoever they run are either engaged in wishful thinking (if they are Democrats) or defeatism (if they are Republicans). Since the beginning of the 20th Century, we've had a pretty well-established pattern of changing parties every 8 years. There have been exceptions, of course, but to assume that the Democratic candidate will win in 2016 is to assume that Obama will be regarded as being as successful as Reagan, and that the Republican candidate will be as bad as Dukakis. Possible, but not likely.

All this BS about the demise of the Republican party is laughable. To believe the Democrats and MSM talking heads, is to believe they have Republican's interest a heart and is to believe Jon Huntsman would have kicked Obama's ass.

But those who say the Republicans can't win whoever they run are either engaged in wishful thinking (if they are Democrats) or defeatism (if they are Republicans). Since the beginning of the 20th Century, we've had a pretty well-established pattern of changing parties every 8 years. There have been exceptions, of course, but to assume that the Democratic candidate will win in 2016 is to assume that Obama will be regarded as being as successful as Reagan, and that the Republican candidate will be as bad as Dukakis. Possible, but not likely.

This is true. Unless the GOP really blows it (not impossible, as this past election showed, but not how one should bet), 2016 is likely to be a GOP year based on simple 8 year cycles. If Obama is able to appoint 2 or 3 Supreme Court Justices, that'll end up diminishing the draw of social issues for the Democrats, because the wolves will no longer be at the door for Roe v. Wade, etc. As long as the GOP stays on the smart side of the candidate line (Jindal, Bush and the like) and doesn't accentuate the culturally resentful wing of their coalition, it should do well.

I think something that's been over looked, even blue states are incrementally at a glacial speed moving to the right. Wisconsin is an example. Of course that doesn't mean electoral successes in those blue states in my lifetime, but then I'm old.

But those who say the Republicans can't win whoever they run are either engaged in wishful thinking (if they are Democrats) or defeatism (if they are Republicans). Since the beginning of the 20th Century, we've had a pretty well-established pattern of changing parties every 8 years. There have been exceptions, of course, but to assume that the Democratic candidate will win in 2016 is to assume that Obama will be regarded as being as successful as Reagan, and that the Republican candidate will be as bad as Dukakis. Possible, but not likely.

This is true. Unless the GOP really blows it (not impossible, as this past election showed, but not how one should bet), 2016 is likely to be a GOP year based on simple 8 year cycles. If Obama is able to appoint 2 or 3 Supreme Court Justices, that'll end up diminishing the draw of social issues for the Democrats, because the wolves will no longer be at the door for Roe v. Wade, etc. As long as the GOP stays on the smart side of the candidate line (Jindal, Bush and the like) and doesn't accentuate the culturally resentful wing of their coalition, it should do well.

Of course, some phony folksy would have said Ronald Reagan was not on the "smart side of the candidate line", so go in the opposite direction.

If you are suggesting that those famously bigoted Southerners in SC and LA only voted for Haley and Jindal because they hadn't a clue that either was Asian-American, I think you are mistaken. (I also think it's fascinating that the only Asian-American governors we have, and so far as I know the only ones we have had, are Republicans in the Deep South.)

Interesting, though, that it worked the other way in Obama's case. He seems to have been "Barry" in college, "Barack" later on, and proudly "Barack Hussein" for a time.

Rand Paul makes a lot of sense on a lot of issues. He won't get far in the GOP presidential race, however, because he'd rather send professors to Iran than bombs. The GOP is full of too many fake Christians to go for that sort of thinking.

edutcher brought up RR and it reminded me of working to dump Ford here in KC at the 1976 convention, we failed, Ford went on to lose to Carter. The republicans were dead, the right-wing had destroyed Ford and the party from within. Four years later BOOM! Of course we had to give the Rockefeller Republicans a grope with Bush as VP.

I don't understand why any conservative would approach an interview with anyone in the MSM as if it were going to be fair. This must be due to some very deep-seated desire to be liked by the cool kids in class, or something.

If more than 3 are running, it's a waste. Some people need folks to sit them down and force them to confront reality.

If you're a House member --- you have no chance. Sorry.

Ayotte?Haley?Jindal?Paul?Santo?McDonnell?Bachmann?

Ayotte is decent but --- no, not this time.

Haley? No. She pales in comparison to Sanford (no matter his personal demons, he was a truly outstanding governor who managed to actually make our DMV the friggin' model of efficiency where one could do almost anything and be done within 5 minutes of entering the office --- and that is going away quickly). People who think Haley would be a great President aren't really looking at her track record here. Ignore that the state GOP hates her because the state party is run by morons. Most people prefer her over the abysmal Democratic option, but few hold her out as being all that great.

I see Ryan and Paul and a bunch of people who shouldn't bother wasting any time or money.One face is missing: Bill Whittle. I say we start a 'draft Bill Whittle' campaign. (If he's eligible; I think he said he was born outside the US.)